Souhan: Mysterious Bridgewater is the ultimate wild card for Vikings
– Throughout his time in Minnesota, Teddy Bridgewater has repeatedly executed a trick play, proving more likable than accessible, eliciting affection without offering many glimpses of his soul.
You could see his personality billowing like laughing gas through the Vikings locker room on Friday afternoons, when players lounged and joked. Bridgewater would often be the one standing in the middle of what looked like a comedy club, more performer than patron.
He saved that side of himself for teammates, with the exception of one conversation we had during his second training camp. That day we walked from practice into the Vikings facility in Mankato and he talked of his love of his mother and music. He even danced a two-step, a rare moment of engaging silliness for an NFL franchise quarterback.
And that’s what he was, a franchise quarterback. Not a star, but not a finished sculpture, either. In his second year in the league, he helped the Vikings to an 11-5 record and completed 71 percent of his passes against a nasty Seattle defense in freezing temperatures in the playoffs, leading the Vikings on what should have been a game-winning drive until ... well, you know.
A few months later Bridgewater planted his left foot during practice and his knee exploded. Thursday, 11 months after that injury threatened first his leg and then his career, Bridgewater finally spoke publicly about that day.
There is some mystery as to why this took 11 months. Bridgewater is smooth. He can handle a news conference.
And he executed a verbal version of the two-step on Thursday. Without offering much in the way of detail, he sounded determined and philosophical. He looked bigger through the shoulders and chest and it was good to see him behind a podium, where he belongs once or twice a week every fall.
But we shouldn’t get used to this. He may never take another meaningful snap for the Vikings. He may not play again anywhere.
The team has placed Bridgewater on the physically unable to perform list. If he comes off that list this season, something will have gone wrong.
If the Vikings could script out the next two years, they’d have Sam Bradford perform like a star and reward him with a hefty long-term contract. They’d keep Bridgewater on the PUP list all season, which would allow them to extend his contract a year.
If that happened, the Vikings might be as strong at quarterback as they ever have been, with two franchise-caliber, young-or-young-enough players at the position — if Bridgewater can come all the way back.
What Bridgewater is too smooth to say now is that he wouldn’t like that much. His past behavior tells us he’ll never undermine Bradford or complain publicly, but his goal is to win a lot of NFL games, and he plays in a league where half the teams are looking for a new starter.
If you’re the sentimental type, you’d hope Bridgewater becomes the story of the year by returning to lead the Vikings to the playoffs, but to wish that is to wish Bradford misfortune.
If Bridgewater takes another snap in the NFL, he will have beaten long odds. If he reasserts himself as a franchise quarterback — anywhere, at any time — he will become an inspirational figure.
He could also do all of the work required of him and have his body fail. This is more about anatomy than will.
Asked if doctors have told him that he will fully recover, Bridgewater said, “That’s something I’d rather not talk about.”
As he spoke after all this time and heard fans chanting his first name again, Bridgewater reminded us of his poise and popularity, neither of which will help him as a quarterback unless his knee holds up under the assault and battery of an NFL game.
That’s a test he may not get to take for another 13 months, if ever.
Jim Souhan’s podcast can be heard at MNSPN.com. On Twitter: @SouhanStrib jsouhan@startribune.com
Hurry-up Vikings, we ain't getting any younger!
reasonably well thought out article from the usually unbearable hyperbolic minnesota media. but couldnt avoid the doom and gloom and medical evalutions by a journalist positing he may never play again. just had to get that hyperbole in there one way or another.
kid is going to play again, in my opinion this season.
Asked if doctors have told him that he will fully recover, Bridgewater said, “That’s something I’d rather not talk about.”
What a frigging tragedy.
I hope for the kids sake he gets back to a field someday.
@"Vikeking2" said: reasonably well thought out article from the usually unbearable hyperbolic minnesota media. but couldnt avoid the doom and gloom and medical evalutions by a journalist positing he may never play again. just had to get that hyperbole in there one way or another.kid is going to play again, in my opinion this season.
I'm sorry you don't like it but it is a rather major part of Bridgewater's story.
@"Vikeking2" said: reasonably well thought out article from the usually unbearable hyperbolic minnesota media. but couldnt avoid the doom and gloom and medical evalutions by a journalist positing he may never play again. just had to get that hyperbole in there one way or another.kid is going to play again, in my opinion this season.
Come on - he said "he MAY never play again". How is that hyperbole (an exaggeration)? It's a legit possibility. Hyperbole would be if Souhan made an assertion, something like, "Teddy is dreaming if he really thinks he will ever play in the NFL again." He did not - as you noted, his comments about Bridgewater's chances of recovery were very reasonable. He made a bigger, and maybe more debatable, assertion when he called Bridgewater a franchise quarterback. He also made an unsupported assumption: that Teddy wouldn't like it much if Bradford has a great year.
But I expect Souhan is going to get ripped to shreds for his not-so-veiled suggestions about Teddy's persona, private vs. public, being "mysterious", "proving more likable than accessible, eliciting affection without offering many glimpses of his soul", and questioning why it took 11 months to address the press. I can't know if those observations are legit, but I think Teddy's most ardent defenders will challenge them.
@"Purplewhizz" said:@"Vikeking2" said: reasonably well thought out article from the usually unbearable hyperbolic minnesota media. but couldnt avoid the doom and gloom and medical evalutions by a journalist positing he may never play again. just had to get that hyperbole in there one way or another.kid is going to play again, in my opinion this season.
I'm sorry you don't like it but it is a rather major part of Bridgewater's story.
Sad to say, but it's probably more fact than fiction at this point. Nobody really knows the status of Teddy's knee with the exception of Teddy and his Doctor.
So if I'm The Vikings:
- Does Bradford make Bridgewater expendable? TBD
- Does Teddy make it back enough to be a back-up this year? TBD
- Do we place TB on PUP all year? TBD
- Do we have enough faith in TB's knees to hook our wagon to him at $20mm per year long term if Sam fails? TBD
Seems there is a lot more to play out here than certainty. If I'm RS, I hope this becomes a very fact based decision in a year. They may have to "roll the dice" more than they want @ QB.
Still better than watching the #12 reach of a pick in Ponder flailing on the field.
Just saying...
@"ArizonaViking" said:@"Purplewhizz" said:@"Vikeking2" said: reasonably well thought out article from the usually unbearable hyperbolic minnesota media. but couldnt avoid the doom and gloom and medical evalutions by a journalist positing he may never play again. just had to get that hyperbole in there one way or another.kid is going to play again, in my opinion this season.
I'm sorry you don't like it but it is a rather major part of Bridgewater's story.
Sad to say, but it's probably more fact than fiction at this point. Nobody really knows the status of Teddy's knee with the exception of Teddy and his Doctor.
Probably true.And what does status really mean? I'll bet they don't even know as much as they'd like at this point.
@"BarrNone55" said: Asked if doctors have told him that he will fully recover, Bridgewater said, “That’s something I’d rather not talk about.”
This is the only thing that nagged at me on the interview: if the doctors said, 'Yes, you can come back 100%', Bridgewater would have said that. I think the doctors are dubious and Teddy is going to have to overcome the odds to make it back all the way. Not saying he can't, just saying it may not happen.
@"BarrNone55" said: Asked if doctors have told him that he will fully recover, Bridgewater said, “That’s something I’d rather not talk about.”
That isn't exactly word for word the question that was asked... the reporter actually asked if doctors have told him he would regain full mobility in his knee. Watching the interview, it just seemed like Teddy was trying to dodge answering specific questions about his rehab and any medical questions.
Based upon everything we've heard recently from Zimmer, Spielman, and Teddy, it sounds like doctors have been very optimistic about his recovery. It's not a matter of "if" he can make it back, it's "when" he will be fully recovered. Context is everything... go watch the full interview. What Teddy said is not as dire as Souhan makes it sound...
Full mobility vs full recovery...I'm trying to see a massive difference between the two...seems like semantics to me...can he have a full recovery if full mobility doesn't return...I'm not an orthopedic surgeon nor did I stay at a Holiday Inn Express but I think those two things are pretty synonymous...
I get that everybody loves Teddy...by all accounts he's a great guy...but he is a long way off still...
@"purplefaithful" said: So if I'm The Vikings:
- Do we have enough faith in TB's knees to hook our wagon to him at $20mm per year long term if Sam fails? TBD
I think that is going to be a tough decision for the Wilf's going forward. But if the contract tolls, they will find out if he is healthy before making the huge investment. I hope for the best, but won't be surprised if Teddy remains on PUP for the entire season.
Jeez, some people like to jump on anything. The "quote" is from Teddy's presser at about the 4:20 mark. Here's the full quote.
Reporter:
"Have the doctors told you that you'll be 100% some day, or is there a chance mobility will be affected? What have they told you about when you're fully healed?"
Teddy: (I'm leaving out the "you know"s)
"That's something I'd rather not talk about: when I visit the doctors. Whatever Rick and coach Zimm discuss to you guys, I'll leave it at that."
Sounds damning.
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